To wonder if anyone else’s DC is not into reading?

[Notintobooks]

I’ve always been a reader, DH isn’t, but our DS (2 and a half) isn’t hugely interested in books. Every now and again he’ll have one he latches onto but for the most part during the day he won’t sit still for long enough to read. He does read with me as part of the bedtime routine but doesn’t seem very interested and often just kicks the book or messes about!

My ds is 10 and not a reader. Has always preferred non fiction books if he does read anything.

He's 2 and a half... if you're reading to him as part of his bedtime routine, you're doing enough.

If you want to get him to read more during the day, though, try reading yourself. Sit down with a pile of his books, read aloud to yourself, laugh at the story and say things like "Wow, a tiger!' But don't obviously try to get him involved, just ignore him. He'll eventually want to look at what you're doing because kids are nosey like that.

We had and still have books galore for the dc to get whenever they wanted. Dc1 is and always has been a bookworm. He's 12 now and has so many books in his room and all over the house. Dc2, 10, not so much, despite having the same access to books and opportunity to read. Dc2 is much better at writing though.

Says the woman asking if it was odd that her 2 year old wasnt into reading lol

Ds was an avid bookworm from babyhood and still is at 12

DD much less so, she doesn't really do screen time either, she'd rather dance or draw or play with toys. She's happily learnt to read and sometimes lets me read a bedtime story but she's always preferred other activities even for bedtime (making up stories out loud, playing imaginary games with me, or right now we are going through a phase of playing consequences at bedtime which causes a lot of hilarity)

I loved reading with ds but DD has forced me to get inventive with bedtime activities

I didn’t. Can’t you read?

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

He's 2!

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

By two I was having proper meltdowns if my mum didn't have time to read me a story as soon as we got home. By 4 I'd learnt to read. Depending on ops childhood her expectations might be that children are bookworms by two, my son certainly expected a pile of stories every day by 2

At the same age DS only read at bedtime (with us doing the reading obviously) and enjoyed listening to audiobooks in the car.

As an older child he struggled to read, diagnosed with visual processing disorder. Began to read anything of substance at 11.

Just finished A Levels in subjects reliant on a lot of reading. He’s got a pile of books he plans to read this summer. Mainly non-fiction, linked to degree choice, some biographies.

I’ve got 3 kids and in descending order they like books less and less. And to be honest it’s reflected in their academic achievements too. But there is more to do and more people to talk to as they go down the family. The youngest has the best social skills, the eldest reads the most. Make of that what you will

I know he’s 2. That’s why I say, clearly, in my OP, that he’s 2.

And there’s a pretty vast array of books aimed at kids his age, aren’t there?

And often parenting advice is to read a book about … (potty training or new babies or whatever.)

Im not desperately bothered about it, even though some posters are just dying to make out I am. I’m just wondering if some kids aren’t into books much.

He’s very little yet. Give him time.

I have 2 daughters, both at uni now. One read everything avidly, even the cereal packets! The other has not read a whole book that wasn't required reading for school (and not even all of those!)
They have different interests, one reads for fun, the other runs. Weird how we are supposed to value one over the other.

Omg he’s TWO!!! 🙈🙈🙈🙉😩😭🤣 this is taking PFB competitive parenting to a new level. Wtf.

Christ, for a thread about reading, quite a few on here can’t, can they?

He is still very young. He may still grow to love reading.

My DC used to absolutely love reading with me when pre-schooler. Since learning to read herself I cannot get them to read at all - even if I incentivised.

It's just too early atm, I would just keep going with the bedtime story. But v.short books

I had a sensible answer, until I read he's 2.

@Notintobooks when you say read, can he read for himself or do you mean be read to??

My two were never into reading fiction, despite us reading to them daily from babyhood.

The best piece of advice I was given was that it doesn't matter what they read, as long as they're reading something. Therefore dd would read fashion magazines, DS would read anything about nature/dinosaurs/star wars/football.

They both went on to get a first in their degree and get on very well career wise, so it clearly didn't do them any harm. Dd does read fiction now but generally only on holiday, DS still prefers non fiction but reads books.

Obviously being read to 😂

I am surprised (although this is MN!) that so many people have started screeching that he’s 2. We’re encouraged to read books with children from an early age and like I say, loads of parenting advice focuses on reading, whether to improve language skills or to teach a concept. It really isn’t a problem, he’d prefer to be on the go, but after trying to read to him tonight and noticing his eyes glazing over I wondered if we were alone! It would seem not judging from the endless yelps of ‘HE’S TWO.’

Of course, if I’d started a thread ‘AIBU not to read to my child because he isn’t interested’ I’d also be flamed, so …

He'll get there, What sort of books are you reading to him?

Picture books with a story in decent rhyming poem are great for his age... Busby bumble, cat in the hat, green eggs and ham, Sometimes I like to curl up in a ball.

You Choose is a fab book where there isn't a story, but prompts and pictures for a conversation and imagination

Any books which get you to sing or read in a silly voice, do an accent etc... Books of nursery rhymes, or The book with no pictures

Also just because he's not sitting still with you doesn't mean he can't be read too. You could read when he's playing with his toys

Setting aside the "2" business, I have one classic Mumsnet approved bookworm, and one committed book-dodger. Bottom line is, there is no way to force reading for enjoyment.

The book-dodger is now 12. Her English teacher informs me she has a reading age of 16, and can easily tackle the year 7 work so it's not an ability issue. We read to her. I think she'd rather we didn't, but IMO it's helpful to ensure that even if she's not reading books herself she's exposed to new vocab and more complex texts. We also encourage watching TV/films together which have a complex plot or character development, to help her think about those things when she encounters them in class.

DC3 is10, he can read but shows no interest in reading ( I was concerned between the ages of 5 and 9). My eldest loved books but lost interest when he became a teen. Try not to worry.

DD3 (14) hates reading. She still maxes out the school's reading age tests and the teachers look utterly bemused when they say 'She must read a lot' and I say 'no, she hates it'. It's only now at 14 that her English teacher has suggested that she reads more widely because her written vocabulary is interesting but not adventurous and exciting.

It's not that you're reading to him, it's that you think it's a problem that he's not interested.
My Dd didn't really enjoy reading until she was about 16, she's still not an avid reader the way I was, or her bf is, but she does read, and her and her bf always have a book on the go that they read to each other.